Police department needs discussed: evidence garage plan, Taser purchases and service facility tied up in litigation

Council and staff discussed police operational needs at the budget workshop, including a proposed two- to two-and-a-half-bay garage for evidence processing, vehicle service and secure storage, and a separate service facility concept that is currently tied up in litigation.

A town speaker said the original plan called for indoor bays to store tires and operate a lift for evidence processing, and that the quoted cost made officials remove that work from the immediate project. The speaker noted a property under dispute could serve as a service facility for streets and sanitation and assist police operations, but the property remains in litigation and there is no timetable: "When it's before a John Clerk court...there is no time," a participant said.

Equipment and immediate operations: the chief reported new Taser/Ten devices and body cameras and said negotiations produced a price lower than the previous devices. "My new Taser tens actually cost me less than my old Taser. So, you know, you can you can you gotta do what you gotta do," the chief said. The chief also requested consideration of a garage for evidence processing so the department would not have to rely on state police facilities.

Why it matters: a dedicated indoor processing bay is necessary for certain evidentiary procedures, but using a shared facility could create access and chain-of-custody complications. Staff acknowledged that any service facility used for evidence processing would need to be configured so police could maintain forensic standards without excluding other town personnel.

Next steps: the town will continue to monitor the litigation over the potential property, evaluate cost estimates for a stand-alone evidence garage, and pursue possible donated support from local firms mentioned in the meeting. No capital appropriation or construction timetable was finalized at the workshop.